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Politics & Government

City Council Approves Loan for Parking Lot

Liquor license, lease, demolition approvals among agenda items

City council unanimously approved a loan Tuesday evening located at 129 Northampton St.

The lot, which has a total of 19 spaces, is planned to eventually be packaged with 118 and Northampton St. across the street, after the agency acquires those two properties, it has said. Both have been vacant for years and have been deemed officially blighted by the city, paving the way for their acquisition once funding is secured.

For now, the agency will lease five spots to the , which originally also expressed interest in purchasing the parcel but agreed to drop the plan in exchange for the opportunity to lease the parking spots. The rest will be leased back to the city for $1 apiece.

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The remaining 14 parking spots could generate as much as $9,000 per year for the city, ERA director Gretchen Longenbach recently reported to city council. Whatever revenue the planned new metered spaces generate, the city has agreed to accept it in lieu of monthly repayments until the redevelopment of all three parcels is set and the properties are sold to a developer, a process that is expected to take about four or five years, Longenbach has said.

When the properties are sold, the ERA will be required to pay back the entire loan in full, with interest, the agreement states.

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Lease authorized to EPS Financial Services

Council members also unanimously authorized a lease agreement for two suites on the Alpha Building's eighth floor to EPS Financial Services.

The lease, which begins Oct. 1, is for two years at a starting monthly rent of $2,846. Over the course of the two years, the rental of the 3,415 square foot space is expected to swell city coffers by about $70,000.

The space will be an expansion for EPS, who took over the fifth floor of the building, which also houses Easton's city hall, about two years ago.

That agreement resulted in the city clerk's office and council chambers being relocated to the sixth floor, , with officials planning a dedication ceremony for the new council chambers in late October.

The new additional lease with the company won't affect any city departments though, as the suites were vacant, officials said.

Contract Awarded to Demolish former Perkins, Marquis

The contract for buildings was awarded to Miller, Miller and Maclachlan at a cost of $145,279.

The buildings are to be torn down to make way for , which is to house a bus station, parking deck, retail, and a sports hall of fame museum.

No date was immediately available for when the work is to begin, but city officials have repeatedly stated . Since the contract states work is to be complete within 45 days of commencement, it appears likely they will get their wish before year's end.

Additional liquor license gets OK

Council gave the nod to the addition of another liquor license in the city, approving the application of Karina and Brian Turtzo Tuesday evening.

While few details of their plans were immediately available, the Turtzos, owners of 134 North Second St., plan to open a restaurant at the location in the coming months, the application stated.

“This kind of economic development makes me very happy,” said councilwoman El Warner, wishing the couple luck with their enterprise.

(Note: Held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in the city's Southside district as part of the council's efforts to hold meetings in neighborhoods other than Downtown from time to time, the regular city council meeting took place Tuesday evening instead of on the usual Wednesday to accommodate .)

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